Improve your sleep hygiene to stop stressing about your zzz's

We’ve all had those restless nights where it feels like the more we try to fall asleep, the harder it becomes to actually get there. Very often, poor sleep hygiene is to blame.

Struggling to sleep can also be a major source of anxiety.

If this is happening to you regularly, or your using a sleep tracker to track your sleep, you may find yourself asking:

• Do I have a sleep disorder such as shift work sleep disorder, sleep apnea or chronic insomnia?
• Do I need to start taking sleep medicine or sleeping pills?
• Is this going to last my whole life?

Before you find yourself spiraling, take a breath.

It’s quite likely that you simply have poor sleep hygiene habits.

Let’s take a look at what exactly sleep hygiene is, why it’s important, and how you can implement eight sleep hygiene tips to ensure a restful deep sleep.

What is sleep hygiene?

Why is good sleep hygiene important?

12 signs of poor sleep hygiene

So, how do you know if it’s time to put some thought and energy into improving your sleep hygiene practices?

Here are 12 warning signs that it’s time to pay attention to your sleep pattern and make some healthy changes:

1. You have low energy or feel mentally fatigued during the day
2. You fall asleep or nap unintentionally
3. You’re having difficulty concentrating
4. You take more than 30 minutes to get to sleep
5. You wake up more than once each night
6. You’re finding yourself drinking more caffeine during the day to feel energized
7. Your eyes are puffy and red or have bags under them
8. Your skin is breaking out
9. You lie awake for 20 minutes or more when you wake up during the night
10. You spend less than 85% of your time in bed sleeping
11. You feel hungry more often, and you’re gaining weight 
12. You feel more stressed and exhausted than usual

Do any of these sound familiar?

If so, we’d recommend implementing these eight sleep hygiene tips.

9 tips for better sleep hygiene 

Let’s take a look at some tips you can use to get better, more restful sleep at night:

1. Keep a stable sleep schedule

You may have heard of the circadian rhythm before.

This rhythm refers to the physical, mental, and behavioral changes that happen in every human over a 24-hour period.

In particular, your circadian rhythm relates to light, in that you sleep when it’s dark and wake when the sun rises.

Your body and mind work best when adhering to such a schedule, but the problem is that modern life blurs the lines between light and dark.

When it's dark outside, we typically have the lights on at home, and we sit in front of some form of a light-emitting screen like a laptop or TV.

This means that our natural rhythms aren’t as powerful as usual. So in order to get a good night’s rest, we need to conform to a regular sleep schedule.

Most adults need around eight hours of sleep a night, and we generally know what time we need to wake up so we can get to work. So, this is a smart place to start.

Let’s say you need to get out of bed at 7 a.m. To achieve eight hours of sleep, you need to be asleep by at least 11 p.m.

Assuming an average of 30 minutes to fall asleep, you should set your own bedtime at 10:30 p.m. (or maybe 10 p.m. to give you a bit of leeway for those nights where falling asleep is more difficult).

2. Avoid napping throughout the day

Taking a nap during the day might feel like a good idea. And it can be tempting to nod off during a lunch break. But try to avoid the temptation to sleep outside of your regular bedtime. Though you may feel exhausted, napping can make it more difficult to fall asleep in the evening.

If you absolutely must nap, try to keep it under 20 minutes. Ten minutes is the ideal nap time for those days you cannot keep your eyes open.

3. Build a relaxing pre-bed routine

It's challenging enough to sleep when you are stressed or anxious. And heading straight from your home office to the bed isn’t going to make for a successful transition either. 

Creating a bedtime routine can help to relax your body and mind before bed. You’re basically telling your body, “Okay, we’re going to go to bed soon, so get ready.”

Some examples of activities you can include in your pre-bed routine include:

• Reading for half an hour (not on your phone or computer)
• Meditating for 10 minutes
• Journaling for 15 minutes
• Taking a nice warm bath or shower

4. Improve your eating habits

Nutrition and mental health are closely linked. Generally speaking, healthier diets lead to better, deep sleep.

In particular, what you eat for dinner or close to bed can significantly impact your ability to get restful sleep.

You should avoid foods that include caffeine, such as chocolate, green tea, soda, and of course, coffee.

Alcohol is also known to reduce REM sleep, a crucial component of sleep that leaves you well-rested. So, it’s recommended that you not drink alcohol before bed.

5. Think about avoiding large meals right before bed

For many families, dinner is the largest meal of the day.

This presents a challenge to sleep for a couple of reasons. Firstly, you’re packing your body with energy close to bedtime, which is counterintuitive.

Secondly, a heavy meal takes some time to process, which your body will aim to prioritize over falling asleep.

One strategy for dealing with this is to have a larger lunch and a smaller dinner. Another is to eat dinner earlier or avoid carb-heavy foods at dinner, such as bread and potatoes.

With that said, there is no one perfect diet. It’s more about knowing your body and making the choice that is right for you. 

Another tip for improving your eating habits is to practice mindful eating. That is, slowing down and experiencing your meal, rather than eating on the or in front of the TV.

6. Cut back on caffeine after 5 p.m. 

Many of us drink caffeinated beverages to stay awake and alert during the day.

Unfortunately, it has quite a negative impact on your sleep cycle.

Though you might find it tough to cut out coffee altogether, an easy way to improve your sleep is to reduce your caffeine intake later in the day.

We’d recommend not drinking caffeinated beverages after 5 p.m. For some people, this might still be too late in the day. 2 or 3 p.m. might be a better fit.

7. Regulate your room temperature

The relationship between room temperature, body temperature, and sleep quality is not well-known to most.

Many of us try to make our sleep environment as cozy as possible, but this might actually be hindering your sleep more than it’s helping.

On average, the ideal temperature for sleeping is around 65 degrees Fahrenheit, though it does vary by a few degrees from person to person. So, you should spend some time finding the perfect spot on your thermostat.

8. Make sure your room is dark and quiet enough

Years of evolution have developed our bodies to be sensitive to light, such that we wake up when the sun does.

Of course, in the modern world, there are sources of light other than just the sun. Both sound and noise pollution can negatively impact our sleep. This is especially true for inner-city dwellers.

To improve your sleep quality, it’s important that you reduce sources of light and aggressive sound in your bedroom.

You can do this by:

• Installing blackout curtains
• Turning off light-emitting electronic devices 
• Wearing an eye mask to bed
• Wearing earplugs at night
• Using a white noise or sound machine

9. Unplug from electronics before bed

You might have noticed that the bedtime routine tips we mentioned earlier all include activities that don’t involve electronics.

That’s because electronic devices, such as TVs, phones, and tablets, emit blue light, which delays the production of melatonin.

Melatonin is the chemical released to signal to your body that it’s time to get some sleep. 

In short, using electronics before bed is not a good idea if you’re trying to improve sleep quality. Try to switch off for 30–60 minutes before bed.

If you’re having serious problems with sleep, you might benefit from a digital detox.

Should sleep hygiene be the same for everyone?

Ready to ditch poor sleep hygiene?